- What is DNow?
- Why do I keep seeing “Make Your Mark” everywhere?
- When is DNow?
- Where will my student stay during the weekend?
- Who will be staying with my student?
- How much does it cost?
- Who is leading music?
- Who will be speaking?
- Why are high school and middle school combined this year?
- Why are 6th graders invited to a youth event?
- Can my student invite someone?
- What does my student need to bring and what do they leave at home?
- What if my student needs to arrive late on Friday or leave sometime during the weekend?
Disciple Now (DNow) weekends have been around for so long that they have their own Wikipedia entry. I like to think of the weekend as all of the best elements of summer camp packed into 48 hours of craziness. There are a few elements at the core of a DNow weekend:
- Worship – the weekend is built on worship through music and opening the Bible together.
- Small Groups – small groups are formed based on grade and gender and provide the relational context for the weekend. Groups participate in events together, eat together, reflect on the Scripture together, etc.
- Fun – DNow is an intense time of drawing near to God, and it is an intense time of FUN!
2. Why do I keep seeing “Make Your Mark” everywhere?
The theme for DNow this year is “Make Your Mark.” We can all think of moments in life that have had a tremendous impact on us. In fact, we might even say those times have marked us. Over the weekend, we are going to look at how God has shaped and marked our lives. We will also consider what kind of a mark we are leaving on the community around us.
The “Make Your Mark” weekend is Friday April 9 – Sunday April 11. The weekend will begin at 7:00pm on Friday night and wrap-up after the 10:45am worship service (approximately 12:15pm) on Sunday.
4. Where will my student stay during the weekend?
Students will be hosted by families from the church in their homes. We break the groups down by grade and gender. Each group will have somewhere between 7 and 15 students. The host homes are located all across Athens. In addition, other parents will provide transportation as the group travels to the home, church, and for other activities during the weekend.
5. Who will be staying with my student?
The host family will be present throughout the weekend. Baylor University has a program called Youth Ministry Teams and they are sending a college leader for every age group. We are also providing 1-2 college students from FBC to stay with each group and participate in the weekend events.
The total cost of the weekend is $50 if you sign up before April 1. After that, the price goes up to $60. The price includes 5 meals (friday dinner – sunday breakfast), Make Your Mark TShirt, all worship times and weekend activities, and study materials.
Ornan’s Floor is a worship band from San Angelo, Texas. They have been to FBC in October 2008, and our group has also worshipped with them at Camp 121 in 2007, and at Super Summer in 2008. They have worship led for groups across the US; their latest CD “All These Things and More” is one of the most original and unique worship albums that you will ever hear.
Steve Bezner is the Teaching Pastor at FBC Kaufman. Steve is also planting The Commons Church in South Fort Worth this summer along with several friends. He has a wife, Joy, and 2 sons.
9. Why are high school and middle school combined this year?
Most years, we tend to separate the high school and middle school students into 2 completely different weekend experiences. This year, though, we are combining all of the ages in the hopes that having all of our students together will be the spark for something special. I think it is powerful for high school students to realize that they have a responsibility to the younger group, and for middle school students to connect with the high schoolers. In order to preserve a classic feeling of DNow, middle school and high school students will follow a different schedule during the day on Saturday. The groups will be combined at worship each night, lunch on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. We are taking a lot of our cues from Student Life and the schedule that we have at summer camp.
10. Why are 6th graders invited to a youth event?
Sixth grade is a division with our children’s ministry throughout most of the year, and DNow is the first transitional moment for them. DNow weekend provides a glimpse of what student ministry is like while still allowing them to exist in a group of their peers. The shift from children’s ministry to student ministry is a critical moment for 6th graders, and DNow has been an excellent step on the faith journey of 6th graders in previous years.
11. Can my student invite a friend?
Absolutely! In fact, DNow is one of the best events to invite a friend. During the weekend, they will hear a solid message of the hope that is found in following Christ and have a chance to develop relationships with other students and adults at FBC. DNow has been a tremendous catalyst in the lives of students who were far away from God but discovered what it meant to follow Christ during the weekend.
12. What does my student need to bring and what do they leave at home?
We will provide a packing list before the weekend starts.
12. What if my student needs to arrive late on Friday or leave sometime during the weekend?
DNow Weekend is always a better experience for students when they can be a part of the entire weekend from Friday through Sunday. However, it is impossible to find a weekend without some other event also being on the calendar. If for any reason students need to miss part of the weekend, we have a time away card that can be filled out by a parent. We collect the cards and make sure that the hosts and leaders for their group know which students will be leaving during the weekend.
